ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. current — electric
  4. race — humankind
  5. current — happening now
  6. rock — a stone
  7. race — a contest
  8. can — a tin
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. kick — in football
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. current — of water
  14. stock — goods
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. rock — music
  17. can — to be able to
  18. kid — to tease
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. race — the arms race
  22. can — a tin
  23. vault — a safe
  24. stock — shares

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com